Posts Tagged ‘bird’

Jo’s commissioneda lot of things from me over the past couple of years, and this was one of the simplest, though it took some thought before setting brush to paper. She’d found this lovely image of a raptor diving out of its nest on a cliff that we both loved, and I wanted that feeling of the leap without burdening the image with too much detail.

This is what Jo has to say about it:

I recently restarted a yoga practice. Doing sun arms seems to summon an image of me as a raptor taking off from a cliff edge. Which is a wonderful feeling of freedom. I decided to commission Amy to paint it so I can have a reminder on the wall above my computer even when both hands are busy doing something else.

Another commission done, this one a new addition to my Horizons series. This one is entirely watercolour, even the raptor circling above in the clear blue sky. Jo had this to say about her newest acquisition:

Since moving out to a rural area and acquiring dogs, I walk through woods and fields daily. I’ve been paying attention to subtle differences in colour as the seasons change. I can identify several tree species by shape in winter. I am more aware of the subtle differences in bark colour and leaf colour, especially in spring. I also notice the change in the colour of the sky depending on season and humidity. Amy’s paintings of bare trees and crows resonate with this landscape that I observe daily. She painted another painting of autumn trees with a moodier, cloudy sky. While I liked that one, the orange leaves against a blue sky speaks to me much more clearly and Amy was happy to paint one just for me.

I’ve had this background of faint green leaves or feathers for a long time now, just waiting for the right image to go on top of it. I decided it needed a bird of prey to glide along under a sunlit canopy of leaves. The subtle textures of green in the background get somewhat lost in the glare of the scanner; this is definitely another piece that has a lot to offer in person.

I like the way there’s more space in front of the bird than behind, as if to suggest an endless forest of new green leaves just waiting ahead.

Gliding Under the Canopy, 6″x4″ watercolor crayon and watercolor on paper, $199 with free shipping.

Gliding Under the Canopy, detail, by Amy Crook

Above, you can see some more of the soft green texture that permeates the background. Below, I’ve got the piece tucked into a frame, where the green glows behind the golden brown bird.

I’ve been working on this in amongst the Monster paintings, starting with a rather banal watercolor layer and adding in bold scribbles, shimmery iridescent highlights and even some pencil shading. I’ve grown fond of the odd perspective, of peering at the herons through the grasses, and catching a glimpse of both halves of this couple.

Above, you can see a bit of the golden wash at the very edge of the sky, and a sheen off several bits of iridescent paint in several colors, from the soft gold along the beak to the blue in the feathers and silvery clouds. Below, you can see the piece in a frame, making it seem more than ever like a peek into some hidden natural wonder.

Today’s art combines a number of techniques into one unusual piece. The base is a heavy, handmade postcard from India, part of a set I bought years ago with irregular, natural edges. The wash was made with strong black tea, and the texture comes from salt crystals placed on the wet paper. Then, I added a touch of blue paint and a little more salt to create the shape of the bird.

I have to admit, once I saw a bird in the blue, I couldn’t help but think of Twitter, but I think that’s just a sign I spend too much time on social networks.

I broke out my fine-point sharpies in brown and black to create the tree and the detail on the bird, using a loose, scribbly style to create an organic shape that fit with the background.

Twisted Tree, 4″x6″ mixed media on paper, nfs (sold).

The bird ended up with a bit of an attitude, and I rather imagine him saying something like, “Yeah, yeah, tweet, whatever.” Despite that, he’s got a bit of sparkle to his personality, as you can see here.

Twisted Tree, detail 1, by Amy Crook

Actually, there’s salt crystals in a fine layer all along the lower part of the painting, giving it texture and a subtle glimmer.

Twisted Tree, detail 2, by Amy Crook

It looks quite nice in a simple black frame, and this painting, like always, will ship wrapped up safely and ready to display.

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